Noms open for outstanding women

NOMINATIONS are now open for women who have made outstanding contributions to their community to be inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.

Nominations are open until Sunday 5 May and women of all ages, backgrounds and fields can be nominated.

Since the initiative began in 2001, almost 750 women have been inducted.

One of these women is Joy Sawiche Juma, previous chair of the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council equality advocate at Grampians Health.

She also works with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, helping them to begin their life in Australia.

“It is 20 years this year since I came to Australia and I lived in Horsham for about nine years where I started working with multicultural women,” said Ms Juma. “They would come to me or see me and ask me questions and that space put me in contact with a lot of multicultural women.

She now works with women at Grampians Health in Ballarat and Ballarat Community Health providing them with culturally appropriate support.

Ms Juma was inducted in 2022 and said it was an honour to be recognised in this way.

She encouraged the community to nominate regional women who do amazing things for their communities.

“There’s lot of people out there who do lots of beautiful things with the community and go above a beyond,” said Ms Juma.

Ms Juma also urged women to nominate themselves.

“If women out there know they are good, they can nominate themselves,” she said. “Don’t feel afraid.”

To find out more information or to make a nomination, visit vic.gov.au/honour-roll-women